A Winter Skye
by hogwartswonderland
Summary: The fanfiction universe if filled with unusual and rare pairings, but Bucky Barnes/Daisy Johnson are not one of them (at least compared to some). Together, they have an infinate amount of stories that can be told ranging from season one of AOS to CA:TWS. A Winter Skye includes my many versions of this pairing. Alternate Universe!
1. Third Time is a Charm

Third Time is a Charm

A/N:I wanted to thank my beta, Elphabacanfigureskate, for helping me get this just right!

 **Number One**

Their first meeting was at Union Station. They literally bumped into each other in the crowded convenience store located on the main level, causing her to drop an armful of food (which consisted mostly of candy) and for him to knock over a magazine rack when he went to catch her from falling (even if he doesn't remember it clearly, he was a gentleman). They briefly stared into each other's eyes before they quickly separated to clean up the mess.

She briefly made a note of his metal arm (hey, she was a SHIELD agent after all) before she made a mad dash out of the store (without her candy) to avoid any more contact with him. After all, she couldn't risk Hydra (more importantly, Grant and his wacko S.O) finding out where she was. Later, when she was on the train, Skye can't help but remember those sorrowful blue eyes of his, and wonder what his story is. Is he an unloved foster kid like her? If she led a normal life, would she had stayed to connect with him and discover the source of his pain? Skye spun theories about the mystery man until she overheard a group of businessmen discussing the fall of SHIELD, thusly reminding her of why her fantasy could never be.

Back in the store, Bucky had finished putting away the magazines and found himself looking for the girl, but stopped himself before he could garner the attention of the surrounding people. If he tried to call out for her (Doll is the word he found himself wanting to call her) it would bring unneeded attention- which in turn would lead Hydra straight to him. Even if he didn't have to worry about them, Bucky realized it would never work anyway. He is a 90-something assassin with serious memory loss. What would he have to offer a pretty, normal girl like her?

 **Number Two**

As fate would have it, they met again a few weeks later in a small internet café in Miami. Despite to the scorching hot weather, he dressed in a navy long sleeved shirt, dark jeans, a black hoodie, and a pair of old work boots. It wasn't exactly normal for someone in Miami. That, combined with the unforgettable metal arm made her recognize him almost immediately.

She was there biding her time until her flight to Europe (Grant and Garret managed to track her down) when she picked up on the fact that they had met before, which aroused her suspicions that he worked for Them (she refused to say their name in fear that it was taboo like Voldemort's in Harry Potter).

He also recognized her and begun to make his way towards her spot by the door, thinking that she was a perfectly nice and normal woman that could help him with this device known as a computer (despite being unfrozen for at least a decade, he was too busy assassinating people to keep up with the advancement in technology). But before he could ask for help, she ran out the door with a look of fear evident in her eyes. He chased after her (ignoring that this would bring attention to him) wanting to know what he'd done wrong but was unable to find her. It wasn't until later when he was bleeding in an alleyway after fighting Hydra goons that he concluded that she was not normal either- she was Hydra.

What he didn't know was that she took refuge at the boutique across the road, watching him as he looked for her before retreating to the café. No matter how drawn to him she was, she wouldn't risk becoming attaching to a man that might work with the enemy.

 **Number Three**

The two fugitives remain separated for another four months before they run into each other in an abandoned bunker in Russia of all places.

All his research and calling up on favors led Bucky here, the place where Hydra supposedly took him after they discovered his broken and mangled body in a nearby river located below train tracks. As he wondered through the bunker, memories of bright lights, blood, and the man from D.C (who he did remember to be his best friend, Steve Rogers) reaching out to him flashed through his mind, causing a splitting headache.

His flashbacks are disrupted when a young woman, the same one who he met in Miami and Virginia all those months ago, stumbles into the cabin with multiple cuts across her face, a busted lip, and clad in what looked to be the tattered remains of a deep purple plaid top, white undershirt, and blood-stained jeans. This time it is she that is dressed incorrectly for the weather.

In the days leading up to this moment, Skye had been in the clutches of a small squadron of Hydra agents that were supposed to take her to Ward. She had gotten tired of running and doing nothing, so she devised a plan to sneak into a (supposedly) abandoned Hydra base in Russia to steal any data she could find, but they were one step ahead and the operatives had intercepted her at the dingy hotel she rented for the night. Sneaky Cowards. Of course, one does not receive combat training from Melinda May to not utilize it, so Skye did what she did best; acted helpless long enough to find an opening, then proceeded to kick enough ass in order to escape. Hence her current appearance.

"Hey! I totally know you! You are the guy from Miami. And Union Station!" Skye cheers a little too excitedly. She had received a blow to the head while escaping, and that combined with a lack of sleep has made Skye a bit unstable. When Skye looks back on this moment later on, she realizes it was her genuine-yet-non-threatening reaction that encourages Bucky's response.

"That would be me doll. Are you okay? You seem a bit roughed up," Bucky replies instantaneously, not even thinking about what he was saying until after it came out of his mouth, completely contradicting his body's natural response of bringing his gun up to train on the girl that dared to barge in on him. It is moments like this that the true damage Bucky Barnes endured from Hydra reveals itself.

At the sight of the gun trained on her, Skye automatically holds her hands up in a non-threatening manner, hoping that she didn't make a mistake of upsetting the guy with a large gun. "Look dude, I just got away from a few Hydra baddies a couple hours ago and I don't feel like having to defend myself against you. Not that I would do much since I am more of a hacker than a fighter- but that is beside the point. You look like you could take me down with your pinky finger in a millisecond, so why don't you just put the gun down and we can talk it out?"

While Skye is ranting Bucky takes the opportunity to catalogue everything about the young woman in front of him. Once he looks past the messy clothing and her litany of injuries, it is obvious that she is not a trained fighter. She holds herself in a defensive position but it is obvious that she doesn't have the muscle to do any real damage. That alone puts Bucky's soldier instincts to rest. It is just an added bonus that she announces that she is an enemy of Hydra.

"You don't have to worry about the gun," Bucky announces as he lowers the weapon. Skye's body relaxes instantaneously. "As long as you aren't Hydra."

"Seriously? I pretty much just said I was running from Hydra myself."

"You could always be a double agent."

If Skye didn't want to risk being killed by the mystery man then she would have thrown something at his head. "You did not just go there. Nope. I will pretend that I never heard that. I am so freaking tired of double agents and spy games!"

Before her rant can go into details about two-faced Grant Ward, Skye decides that the best thing to do in this situation is to be completely honest and to hope for the best. She holds out her hand to him and introduces herself. "Hi, my name is Skye. I was a consultant for Shield and had just become a level one agent the day Hydra emerged. My ex S.O is a cheating Hydra scumbag that is obsessed with hunting me down. I can tell you that there is probably a small tac team on their way here now, ready to take me in. Are you going to help me or not?"

For a moment, everything is silent and only the harsh wind pounding on the side of the crudely designed bunker can be heard as Skye awaits his response.

"Sounds like you are in a bit of a jam, Doll. How about I help you if you help me?"

Skye realizes that there are so many things that can go wrong with this deal, but with the threat of more soldiers coming, she doesn't stop to think of any possible consequences. "You have yourself a deal."

"Well then it is nice to meet you Skye. My name is James, but you can call me Bucky."


	2. Third Time is a Charm (Part 2)

Third Time is a Charm

[Part Two]

Note: This is a continuation of Chapter One and everything deviates after 1x19 of Agents of SHIELD.

* * *

The Captain America exhibit at the Smithsonian was the last place Bucky Barnes expected to be 11 months after the battle at the Triskelion. Yet, there he was, dressed in dark wash jeans, long sleeved Henley, and leather jacket (looking very much like a modern man), waiting for Captain America- no, his friend, Steve Rogers- to show up.

Skye was there with him as support, risking being seen on camera and being caught by Hydra rather than to let him go without backup. Plus, she really wanted to see Bucky's memorial and possibly learn more about the man she had slowly fell in love with. But she wouldn't tell him that.

Bucky smiled as he watched Skye as she read about him, trying to keep the hood of the oversized jacket she was wearing from falling and revealing herself. A sense of pride surged through Bucky as he realized it was his hoodie she was wearing, which she often 'borrowed' (Bucky called it stealing).

In the past 6 months that they have been traveling together, Bucky and Skye have grown to care for one another beyond friendship. Neither one has acted upon their feelings, but they were both aware. It didn't seem like the right time to start a romantic relationship while they were both evading the clutches of Hydra.

Hopefully that would all change with this meeting that Bucky has arranged with his former (maybe current) friend, Steve. If everything turns out as he planned, then Skye will be protected from the Clairvoyant and his right-hand man- Agent Grant Ward. Just thinking about the two Hydra Agents wanting to hurt Bucky's precious Skye made him want to punch something.

"Are you alright?" Skye asked him as she sat down next to him, noticing that his knuckles were white from clenching his fist tightly.

He nodded curtly, still fueled by the anger he felt towards the formerly mentioned Hydra Agents. "I'm fine."

She rolled her eyes at her companion's tough guy attitude as she takes his clenched hand into hers and uncurls his fingers, making it so that their fingers intertwine. "You can't lie to me, Bucky." She rubbed her thumb over the top of his hand, comforting and soothing him. "Now, what are you thinking about?"

"You," he claimed, flashing her a smile that was reminiscent of the ladies' man he used to be back in the 1940s.

"Why, aren't you a charmer, Sergeant Barnes," Skye replied with fake flattery, playing along with Bucky's ruse to avoid talking about what was really wrong. "You must have been quite the ladies' man back in your time."

"He was. This one time, he convinced this one dame- Kelly, I think her name was- to sneak out and go dancing after her curfew even though her father hated him. Her father found the two of them alone in her room when they returned and chased him out with a frying pan."

Both Skye and Bucky looked up to see Steve Rogers, who was sporting a large grin, standing in front of them. He was dressed inconspicuously in a tight fitting white t-shirt, jeans, plain blue hoodie, and a hat in a similar shade of blue. Skye took a moment to collect herself (she didn't want to bring attention to them by squealing) before she grinned up at the man.

"Hmmm, that sounds like an interesting story." She purred mischievously. "Do you happen to have anymore?"

Bucky glared at Steve, hoping that his old pal would say no more. There was no way that Bucky wanted Skye to know about some of his most embarrassing moments. Unfortunately for him, Steve didn't receive the hint.

"Plenty. But I am afraid that they will have to wait for another time." Steve responded, switching into his Captain America mode. "I need to get you two out of here as quickly as possible. We don't know if Garrett has any more men out here despite the fact that he is gone, but I don't want to take a chance."

As soon as Steve said that Garrett was gone, Bucky internally began jumping for joy and rejoicing the fact that Skye was safe from the sick, twisted man and his team. His internal giddiness only ceased when he looked over at Skye and saw her blinking owlishly; looking dazed and confounded at the news. Seeing her look so completely lost like that made his stomach churn uncomfortably.

"What's wrong, Skye? I thought you would be happy to know that he is gone," Bucky questioned her, cupping her face so that her brown eyes meet his blue.

She sighed. "I will tell you later… when we are somewhere safe." Skye then removed herself from his grasp and begins talking to Steve as they walk away.

Bucky rubbed his face in his hands, frustrated with her vague response. How was he supposed to take care of his girl if she didn't tell him what was wrong?

The three adults are about an hour into their drive away from DC (to where, Bucky and Skye have no idea) when the truck they are in stopped abruptly in front of what looked to be a condemned house on the outskirts of a suburban neighborhood in Virginia. Peering out the window, Bucky saw that the house isn't too bad of shape. If someone repainted the siding, replaced the floorboards on the porch, and did some major landscaping out front, then it may actually look livable. But as a former super-spy (current, depending on who you asked), Bucky quickly noticed the footprints in the muddy front yard and the outline of a retractable driveway that obviously led to an underground base.

"Where do you think we are?" Skye whispered to Bucky, scanning the surrounding area looking for clues to their location.

"I believe that we are at one of S.H.I.E.L.D's new secret bases."

Skye looked up at the house skeptically. "It's not as cool as the playground, but I guess their options for super-secret government hideaways was limited. At least it has a spooky, haunted house feel to it."

Bucky smirked at her comment. Only she would be able to compare the feel of a secret government agency base to that of a haunted house. Together Steve, Bucky, and Skye exited the van and walked up to the front of the house. Steve knocked on the door to the tune of 'Star Spangled Man with a Plan', most likely signaling that he was a friend- not a foe. The door opened a smidgen, revealing the face of SHIELD Scientist, Jemma Simmons- who was also Skye's former team mate and friend. Her brown eyes dazzled with excitement when she sees Bucky and Skye- the former shielding the latter protectively. Surprisingly, Simmons didn't squeal and break the code of conduct. Instead she continued to smile and comment to Captain Rogers on the nice weather (which is a total lie- it is raining). Steve then replies that he always carries an umbrella. Skye and Bucky glanced at each other in confusion but shrugged it off. It must be some new SHIELD safety protocol.

Once the fake pleasantries are traded, the trio was allowed entrance the secret base which did not match the usual description of super-secret spy bases. Rather than stainless steel walls, black marble flooring, and bulletproof glass enclosures that were in previous SHIELD regulated buildings, the Victorian era house remained true to its roots. The walls were covered with white shiplap, making the rooms feel light and airy. There were old fashioned photographs of events throughout SHIELD history hanging on the walls above the plush brown loveseat that was pushed against the wall besides the winding staircase. Mahogany square side tables flanked both sides- one contained various magazines and the other was home to a plain lamp with a gold base and a box of tissues. The floor was a nicely distressed wood that carried up the steps. A mahogany door on the left wall separated the main entrance from the rest of the house. The only thing modern about the entire room was the large glass door and keypad that restricted access to the upstairs.

"Not bad for a secret base. At least it doesn't match the rest of the creepy haunted house feel that the outside had," Skye joked before being brought into a crushing hug by Simmons.

"I missed you so much, Skye!" Gemma exclaimed to the young hackavist. "It has been very lackluster without you around to constantly make jokes. I think Agent- I mean Director - Coulson has even missed your pranks. What exactly have you been up to? Never mind, don't tell me. Based on the rumors, I don't think I want to know. Has it been exciting traveling the world? You must have seen so much! Unfortunately, I have been stuck here with-"

"Gemma!" Skye cuts of Simmons. "I missed you too. But can you please let me go so I can breathe again?"

Gemma released Skye reluctantly and smiled sheepishly. Skye goes back over to stand by the former Winter Soldier, who is tense from having someone other than him touch Skye. Skye realized this so she placed a hand on his bionic arm in order to calm him down. "Relax soldier. I told you about my team mate, Gemma Simmons, before."

The name clicks, memories of the funny anecdotes Skye has told him about Fitzsimmons rush to him, allowing him to relax. Despite the news that Garrett is dead, he couldn't help but be overprotective. Gemma obviously noticed the affection between the two and looked at Skye quizzically, hoping for answers about the other agent's time with the infamous Winter Soldier.

"Why don't you show us to Coulson, Agent Simmons? I am sure he realizes we are here by now," Steve interjected in order to keep Simmons from asking too many questions. Gemma nodded, swiped her ID card at the steps, then lead the group upstairs, all while spitting out random facts about the base. Since she leads, Skye and Bucky are corralled into the middle while Steve brought up the rear. The two dark haired adults tune out the talkative scientist as they take in their surroundings.

"Why weren't you happy earlier with the news of the Clairvoyant?" Bucky asked somberly to Skye. Skye looked him in the eyes and sighed, her head falling down so that her hair veiled her face.

"I was scared," she whispered.

The former soviet spy looks at the former agent with melancholy. All he needs is to hear her say those words for him to understand her previous reaction. He understands that she was scared that it would end up being a lie, and that the one moment of true happiness she had would be cruelly ripped away. James used to feel that way all the time until he met the brunette hacker.

"You don't need to be scared anymore, darling. You are free to be happy."

Skye stopped abruptly, causing Steve to bump into Bucky who also halted. Gemma continued to walk and prattle on; completely unaware of what was happening behind her.

"Do you mean that?" Skye asked Bucky with tears welling in her eyes.

Bucky- the tough Winter Soldier that could take on Captain America in a fight- nodded in response, seeing as he too was starting to choke up. Being at this base reminded Bucky that he too was not alone. He had a friend and beautiful dame that were in his corner. Without warning, Skye launched herself into his arms and began sobbing, letting out months- maybe years- of heartbreak and frustration. Gemma finally clued in to her surroundings and watched as the couple rocked back and forth; Bucky occasionally smoothing Skye's hair and pressing a kiss to her head. It was a heartwarming sight and in that very moment, the bio-chemist knew that the man with a turbulent history and the girl with an unknown past were meant to be together. Steve caught her eye and gestured for her to step away and give to two a moment to themselves.

The couple eventually broke apart, not noticing that their friends were no longer with them. All they did was stare into each other's eyes (hers brown; his blue) before leaning in for a soft kiss. It is not passionate and wild, but rather slow and sweet. Skye may be a hurricane of sarcasm and pop culture references, but she prefers to savor the kiss that she has been waiting months for. They can each feel the love that has been growing since their first meeting at Union Station finally spill out. In their minds, it was so worth the wait.

"I love you so much, Bucky."

He just smiled and kissed her again, finally happy to take the next step forward now that his girl was safe and sound.


	3. I Believe in You

**I Believe in You**

Theater!Au. Person A is the star of the musical and super popular while person B is a quiet techie that has a crush on person A. On the last day of the show after curtain call, person A pulls person B in for a kiss and admits that they had a crush on them for months.

Note: I used to be a theater nerd in high school and I saw off stage romance happen a lot. I originally thought to make Bucky the star of the show, but I wanted him to be more of the subdued winter soldier persona that we see now, rather than the ladies' man from the first Captain America film. Plus, there is the fact that I know Chloe Bennet can sing! Anyway, I have a Hogwarts Au! In the works for this pair right now, but after that I need more ideas. If you have a suggestion, please feel free to message on Tumblr (user name is Hogwartswonderland) with your requests!

Also, I will give a special shout out to the person that can figure out where the title came from. Hint: The answer can be found in the story.

Happy Reading!

"Alright people! That is a wrap!" Director Phil Coulson announced as he clapped his hands at the people on stage. It was late Wednesday night and everyone at the SHIELD Dinner Theater was there to either finalize the dinner menu for the weekend, prep the kitchen, or to take part in the final dress rehearsal for _How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying._

The entire cast sighed with relief, happy to go home and relax before the show's opening night on Friday. It had been a long couple of months filled with grueling dance rehearsals, led by choreographer and stunt man Clint Barton, costume fittings with Madame Natasha, and voice lessons with Angie Martinelli, a former Broadway star and co-founder of SHIELD Dinner Theater. While cast and crew realized that all the work they put into this would be worth it in the end, but it was hard to be excited after putting in a 13-hour day. The only person that was not looking forward to going home was Skye, the shows leading lady and a new addition to the theater. She was discovered by none other than Director Coulson (or DC as she called him) singing cover songs at a coffee shop that he frequented. As the newest cast member among a tight knit group, she was eager to please and constantly trying to prove that she deserved the part of Rosemary. Jemma Simmons, her best friend, fellow actress, and new flat mate, was the only one that could drag her away from the stage for some rest.

"Skye! Stop dancing around and let's go! My feet ache and Leo and I want to finish that episode of Dr. Who tonight," Jemma grumbled from the wings of the stage. She had managed to make it to the dressing rooms rather quickly after rehearsal ended and change within a few minutes, eager to spend the rest of the night unwinding from a stressful day. Standing beside her was her equally grumpy boyfriend of six months, Leo Fitz. He was a technical genius and in charge of all lighting and special effects, so he too had been up early for the dress rehearsal. The only difference was that he must come in again tomorrow to fix a few problems with the equipment, unlike Jemma and Skye, both who have the day off.

"Can't we leave her behind? I want to be able to enjoy the rest of the evening with you without hearing her constantly sing _Rosemary,_ under her breath."

"It is her first show, Fitz," Jemma gave Leo a light smack to the shoulder. "She is just nervous and wants to do well. I remember that you went around muttering lighting cues the first show you oversaw." Leo's ears reddened in embarrassment at the reminder.

Skye, still wearing her rose colored 1950s dress and nude T-strap pumps, turned around at the sound of her friend's voice and gave a sheepish smile. Jemma and Leo (everyone called them Fitzsimmons) were her first real friends at the dinner theater and when they discovered that she lived in a van, did not hesitate to offer the spare room in their flat. As a kid in foster care with a lot of failed placements, Skye never truly had a place to call home, so when the couple made the offer, she felt as if she had to do everything in her power to show them how grateful she was. Normally she'd have rolled her eyes at their running commentary and did as they asked, but this time Skye couldn't bring herself to exit the stage. As Jemma pointed out, it was her first production ever and she felt an obligation to make sure everything was perfect. Sure, everyone was super welcoming (although there were a few exceptions) and Skye managed to win them all over with her sarcastic charm, but there was an added pressure that came with performing a lead role.

"Sorry guys, but I think I will stay a little while longer. I keep messing up this one combination in the final number. Go home without me. Enjoy a night in with just you two."

"You heard her Jemma, a night just us two. Let us head home. Goodnight Skye!" Leo said in a rush, relishing the idea of having the apartment to themselves to indulge in certain activities. While he loved Skye like a sister, sometimes it was rough sharing a space with the younger girl when he was trying to have a romantic night with Jemma.

Not one to be deterred, Jemma bit her lip and remained planted in her spot. "Are you sure, Skye? You shouldn't overwork yourself and risk injury."

"I will be fine Jemma. But thanks for your concern. Go before Fitz explodes," she laughed at the sight of the over eager Scottish man trying to drag his girlfriend away.

With a hurried goodnight, the young couple made a hasty exit, leaving Skye to herself on stage. The bright stage lights have been turned off but there was enough recess lighting on throughout the establishment to allow the 24-year-old to see. Most of the restaurant was quiet; save for the occasional clang of pots and pans coming from the kitchen where head chef, Sam Wilson, was experimenting with new dishes, or the soft whispers of Nick Fury, current owner of SHIELD, and Maria Hill, restaurant manager, as they discussed stock in their joint office located on the second floor. This was Skye's favorite time of day. The leftover energy from rehearsal lingered, but now there was a sense of anticipation for the upcoming performance mixed in; which left the young actress tied up in knots.

For twenty minutes, Skye practiced the dance moves until she felt her calf muscles burn from the constant movement. She stopped working to sit down at the edge of the stage, swinging her legs as she sipped her large bottle of water. Looking out at all the empty tables, Skye then closed her eyes and imagined what it would be like when it was filled to the brim with customers. The picture she painted in her mind was very vivid. On the top deck, where a few special guests could sit if they paid a hefty price, she could see Tony Stark and his wife, Pepper Potts-Stark (both loyal patrons of SHIELD), mingling with Fury as they are served by their friend and one of the staffs favorite employees, Thor Odinson. Down below, Skye's other friends, Antoine 'Trip' Triplett and Lincoln Campbell, would chat with guests and flit between the kitchen and restaurant floor; carrying orders of mouthwatering food and delicious drinks as they go. Then-

"Hey there, Skye. Are you here all alone?" a masculine voice spoke, breaking Skye's daydream. Opening her eyes, Skye recognized the speaker to be Grant Ward, another waiter and an overall tool bag. Grant used to be a part of Skye and her small group of friends, but when she turned him down for a date, he became obsessive and creepy; claiming that they were soul mates and using that as an excuse to stalk her after work. He had even beat up Lincoln when he found out that the two were set to go on a date. Lincoln ended up spending 3 days in the hospital to recover from a serious concussion, effectively snuffing out any romantic notions between the two.

"What do you want? Don't you have someone else you can bother?"

"There is nobody but you, Skye. I love you." Grant replied as he made his way closer, only stopping once he was right in front of her, arms resting next her on the stage, successfully caging her in place.

"Well I sure as hell don't feel the same about you. You can take your love and shove it up-"

"Is he bothering you, doll?" a deep, rough voice asked. Both Skye and Grant turned their heads to see Bucky Barnes, best friend of Steve Rogers (the lead of the musical AND Skye's love interest) and one of the techies working backstage, moving towards them.

His appearance startled Skye. To the young female, Bucky was the embodiment of everything she wanted in a man but knew she would never have. After all, what would a former army veteran, animal rescuer, and all around good guy want with a damaged orphan such as herself? He made it very clear during her first week that he wanted nothing to do with her; she had introduced herself to everyone but when Skye reached him, he made no move to acknowledge her.

So why was he speaking to her in such a familiar tone now?

"Back off Barnes," Grant growled. As scared as she was, Skye was thankful that he had turned to face Bucky, thus removing his arms from around her. It made hopping off stage and tiptoeing around tables to reach Bucky's side much easier. While she was confused about his actions, Skye knew that staying near him was the safe option.

"I don't think so buddy. Everyone knows that you were the one to beat up Lincoln, so there is not a chance in hell I would trust you around a dame, especially the leading lady of the show."

"I would never hurt Skye!"

"You hurt me when you hurt Lincoln. I would never go out with someone that hurts my friends," Skye spat out. Grant was surprised for a moment when he realized that she moved from her original spot, but quickly found his anger again at the sound of Lincoln's name. "He shouldn't have tried to take what is mine."

"God!" Skye exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air in exasperation. "Do you even hear yourself right now? I am not some object to belong to you. I am a human being that can make her own damn choices. And for the final time, I choose to NOT go out with you. I will _r_ forgive you."

"What the hell is goin' on here?" Nicky Fury asked from his office. Maria stood behind him, glaring down at the group- mainly at Ward- with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Ward was harassing Ms. Skye, Sir." Bucky supplied with a smirk. He loved how Ward tensed at the sound of the boss's voice, knowing the fact that when Fury got involved, it was never a good sign.

"What did I tell you? The next time you stepped a toe out of line, your ass is gone. Consider it gone, Ward. You are fired."

"You can't fire me!"

Fury glowered at the waiter. He had hired him to complete the favor he owed John Garrett- a former friend of his- but never liked the younger man. Of course, at the time he did not know that Garrett had become a corporate spy for Hydra Entertainment, but once Garrett's betrayal came to light, Fury thought he had the perfect excuse to fire the psychotic waiter. Alas, no evidence could be found that Grant worked with them so Fury had to settle for waiting until now to finish taking out the trash.

"I think I can. My restaurant, my decision. Now go before I call security to escort you out." Grant visibly paled at that threat. Security was just one man by the name of Wade Wilson- who was legendary for being touched in the head and for having a habit of carrying around kitchen knives and throwing them at people that A.) he didn't like (which included Grant) or B.) Fury told him to. With that threat hanging over his head, Ward made a quick exit, not even stopping to look back at Skye.

"Well, I think that is enough excitement for tonight. Skye, go home and rest up. I don't want to see you until Friday afternoon. Barnes, a word please?"

Shaken up by the small encounter with Ward, Skye rushed to do as Fury ordered. Logically, she knew that Grant Ward was a messed-up person, but she had never personally seen that side of him until tonight. As she changed out of her costume and into jeans and blue flannel shirt, she contemplated calling Mack, another friend and co-worker, to pick her up and escort her home. He was a solidly built guy of 6'4 that looked intimidating but was really just a giant teddy bear. Ultimately, Skye decided against it since she remembered that he was at home with his heavily pregnant wife, Elena.

As she walked to the entrance, Skye pulled out her phone and googled taxi services. She was so engrossed in her search that she didn't notice that Bucky was standing in by the doorway, and ended up bumping straight into him. Since he was more solidly built, Skye was the one to end up sprawled on the floor; her phone sliding a few feet away and the contents of her purse spilling out in front of Bucky. To say that she was mortified was an understatement.

"I am so sorry! I got caught up with my phone and didn't see you there," Skye explained as she collected her fallen items (none of which were too embarrassing).

Bucky bent down to help the younger girl with her task. As he did so, he took the chance to admire her in a ruffled state. It wasn't often that the excitable actress was less than put together- or at least when it was unintentional. She has been known to do comedic exercises that depended on her being in a disastrous state; leaving her to have a reputation for her comedic prowess as well as sarcastic nature. Truth be told, it was one of the first things besides her obvious beauty that drew the army veteran to her.

"No harm, no foul. It's not like you accidentally dropped magnets on my prosthetic," he joked, waiving his metal arm in emphasis. A couple weeks ago, there was a prank war among the theater crew that resulted in absolute chaos. Sam Wilson, whom Bucky had a friendly rivalry with, ambushed him while napping backstage by arranging a bunch of small fridge magnets on state-of-the-art prosthetic arm. There were over 30 magnets that ranged from cat butts to alphabet letters that spelled out crude words. When Bucky woke up, he chased Sam around the dining room while threatening to kill him.

Skye remembered the incident fondly and giggled at the memory. "You never know, I could have some cat butt magnets on hand that I have been waiting to stick on you."

"I like to see you try doll," Bucky said as he held his hand out. Skye only paused for a minute before taking it, relishing the feel of his fingers curving around hers as he helped her to her feet. Bucky's sudden change in behavior still confounded her, but she wasn't going to question it and ruin whatever was going on.

"I think I will pass. Poor Sam was traumatized when you got back at him. Plus, I need to head home. I wouldn't want to get in trouble with Fury."

The teasing moment between the two abruptly ends at the reminder of their boss.

"That is actually what I was waiting on you for."

Surprised, Skye looks up at the older male. "You were waiting for me?"

"Yeah," Bucky replied sheepishly, suddenly feeling a shy. "I figured with Ward wondering about, most likely trying to catch you alone, it would do you good to have some back up on your way home."

"Oh," was all Skye managed to say. The thought of Ward waiting on her was sobering, but not something she was a stranger to. She invested in a taser (recommended by Darcy) and pepper spray to keep on hand always, just in case he tried anything. 911 was even the listed as number one on her speed dial. It is safe to say that Skye was well prepared.

"That is really nice of you but I can handle it myself. I have managed creeps like him my entire life. It's no biggie."

Now, Bucky didn't consider himself a violent guy or one that angered quickly, but something about the brunette actress's jaunty attitude rubbed him the wrong way. It bothered him when he first met her, but he soon got over it once he realized that she was just a guarded young woman trying to make ends meet. The rational part of his mind said that she has a right to say no, but the devil on his shoulder whispered that it was his duty to keep her safe. It was the latter that won the argument.

"With respect, I don't think you could handle Ward. He is much more dangerous than you give him credit for."

"I can't handle him? Well, let me tell you, Mr. Stone-faced-soldier," Skye poked his firm chest in emphasis. "I have successfully taken down guys with S.I.N.G before. I don't need some guy that has ignored me since the beginning of the production to suddenly become my knight in shining armor."

"You're being stupid. Do you think he won't hurt you just because he likes you? Hate to break it to you doll, but Grant Ward only cares about getting what he wants. It doesn't matter how he gets it." Bucky had quickly become frustrated with this conversation. Why couldn't she understand that it was okay to rely on him?

Skye was also feeling the same, but the difference was that she was annoyed how he refused to understand that it is her choice- not his. "Why do you care? We are not friends. In fact, you never spoke to me before today!"

"It's my job-"

"No, it is notjob," Skye hissed. "You don't know me and shouldn't feel an obligation to watch out for me. Technically, that's for Wade to handle. You are probably only doing this because Fury told you to."

"Don't jump to conclusions, doll. Fury did not-"Skye glared at him, silently challenging him to finish the sentence. "Okay, Fury did ask but I was going to escort you home anyways!"

"And why would you do that? Hmm? God, this bull is not what I need before the show." Before another word can be spoken, a bright yellow taxi pulled up to the front entrance and the driver honked the horn, signaling that it was time for Skye to go. "Just forget about it Barnes. As I said, I am capable of getting myself home."

With those last words, Skye rushed to the front door, eager to escape the confrontation, all while internally cursing herself for ruining any chance she had with the army vet. She is so focused on getting out of the building that she almost doesn't hear Bucky's frustrated reply.

"I'm doing this because I like you!"

TO BE CONTINUED


End file.
